Thursday, March 29, 2007

No time for frivolity these days; but I do have time for commentary on the conduct of a recent large-scale police operation in Scotland:

Alloa Sheriff Court heard that [Karen Stenhouse] was arrested along with friend Ann McCallum, of Delphwood Crescent, also Tullibody, following an 11-day undercover operation involving officers from both Central Scotland CID and the force's tactical crime unit.

11 days! In these days of a terrorist imagined under every hedgerow, such vigilance is merited. You think I mock, but I'm serious. Moreover, I have to admire the Brits for their patience (11 days!) in making sure they had their, um, women. Surely there, as here, the temptation toward doing away with pesky little legal principles such as gathering evidence and due process must be strong. Warrant, shmarrant! Kick some doors in! Knock 'em around a bit! But no. There in the land of Occam's Razor (Surrey, Scotland--it's all England, right?), they still remember. 11 days' worth of remembering, no less!

So, breathe easier: the world--Scotland, at least--is safer for the CID's vigilance . . . and all without our even knowing or sensing we (Scotland, at least) were in danger.

6 comments:

11 days! I just checked and I still have my little guy, so they haven't been 'round here. Can't you see the movie version? John Cleese as the Police Chief, Hugh Grant as Head of the undercover investigative team. Now who for the lead female antagonist?